Having listened to the demos available on the net the Élkorus it sounds fairly good but as good BBD which i ultimately want to emulate the lush sound of the ARP Solona String Ensemble will building from the JH. String Ensemble / Triple Chorus guide lines have any real advantage. I understand that the JH uses TDA1022 ICs which according to the script are fairly close to the TCA350 in the original ARP. As i don't no want the components of the Élkorus are i have made the assumption that it uses more ready available parts then JH although i don't no this for sure. Also I realise these aren't my only to options as Doepfer also have a system the BBD Module A-188-2.

Any advice of which is the closest to the lush sound of the ARP Solona.

Hmm... Sorry to chime in without owning neither of them...
maybe i'm just repeating most of your thougts.

I was also considering the Elkorus vs The DIY path... for just under 400 euro's it doesn't seem so over expensive because of the tweekability of the unit... this units themsefls will help you a great deal to achieve the sound you seek but without an analog beast in the signal path with lush pads I'd be skeptical (which i presume you already have) . From what I read the elkorus uses BBD's which sound verry similar to the ARP solina... I for one don't want just clones.. I want more than that from vintage clones... and the Elkorus seems to be more flexible.. maybe could be pushed more than the JH trpl chorus (just seems more tweakable)...

The Synthoma Élkorus is something that caught my eye. I suspect they are built to order with only a handful made so far. There is a page with the TDA350 BBD chip identified - Syntomas Élkorus

It seems to have a solid number of control knobs and it's stereo out (the original Solina ensemble I think was mono out and had no adjustments). No external modulation but I wouldn't really expect that.

The JH board is of course DIY and you can customize it to whatever degree you can. I would also suspect that given all the variables different people's builds will sound different though certainly the model BBD chip is a factor.

The Doepfer A-188-2 has nothing to do with a Solina Ensemble effect. It takes advantage of a single multi-tapped BBD chip intended for "reverb" type effects. Being multi-tapped you get many different delay lengths to somewhat simulate the multiple reflections in acoustic reverb. Doepfer lets you pan and attenuate the taps all over the stereo field with pots. You could modulate the clock rate but it's going to sound nothing like a solina

The Solina ensemble effect is a mix of 3 BBD lines all modulated by related speed waves in different phase relationships. Other than building your own circuit, nothing I know of that is commercially available in analog hardware generates LFO waves with two 120 degree phase offsets. (though one could digitally generate 3 channels and put them out with a MOTU interface that doesn't block DC output). So I'd think that's the harder part though finding cheap modulatable delay lines might be tough too. Anyone mod a Behringer analog delay pedals?

So that would be the same type of BBD from the Solina? Only better flexibility?

Unfortunately I don't know, but knowing what chip they use is a start.

Of course as I mentioned the chip is only part of the sound though it will make a difference. Take for example the three Moogerfooger analog delay models. They sound different, not night and day different but not the same. Take the same chip in something else and it will generally sound even more different. Night and day compared to a Doepfer since the Doepfer has no filtering or companding going on.

The Synthoma Élkorus is something that caught my eye. I suspect they are built to order with only a handful made so far. There is a page with the TDA350 BBD chip identified - Syntomas Élkorus

The Solina ensemble effect is a mix of 3 BBD lines all modulated by related speed waves in different phase relationships. Other than building your own circuit, nothing I know of that is commercially available in analog hardware generates LFO waves with two 120 degree phase offsets. (though one could digitally generate 3 channels and put them out with a MOTU interface that doesn't block DC output).

Thanks for the info, (nice to know Élkorus is using the TDA350 thumbsup ) Am no tech and the building of the JH will have to be undertook by someone else although i do know someone who would be prepared to help me out. I do indeed own a 828mk2 which dosn't block DC but for now I think my best bet is to try the Élkorus out, if am not getting the lush sound expected i don't think i would have to much trouble selling it on.

Thanks for the info, (nice to know Élkorus is using the TDA350 thumbsup ) Am no tech and the building of the JH will have to be undertook by someone else although i do know someone who would be prepared to help me out. I do indeed own a 828mk2 which dosn't block DC but for now I think my best bet is to try the Élkorus out, if am not getting the lush sound expected i don't think i would have to much trouble selling it on.